Guilford County staff and Guilford County commissioners spend a lot of their day-to-day time fighting fires and dealing hastily with whatever problems or issues the world throws at them.

However, once a year, the commissioners take a couple of days to get together with key county staff in a very big room – and they all slow down, take an in-depth look into where the county stands, do some long-term planning and decide key goals for the coming year.

Earlier in this century, the board would usually hold its retreat in January or early February, however, over the years, the dates of the retreat have been pushed back later and later – and now they consistently fall in March, as will be the case with the 2024 grand meeting of the minds.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners 2024 Annual Retreat will be held Thursday, March 7 and Friday, March 8 at the Congdon Yards Event Center at 410 W. English Road in High Point. The retreat is scheduled to start at 9 am. both mornings and is set to last until 5 p.m. each day.  However, the board tends to start the meeting a little late on the first day and some years it wraps up its business right after lunch on the second day.

  At this year’s retreat, the nine commissioners along with County Manager Mike Halford will receive reports from county department heads and other staff, discuss current initiatives, assess progress on capital projects and conduct a wide scope of other county business as well.

Commissioners with special requests for consideration send their requests to Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who puts the items on the lengthy agenda for the board and staff to discuss.

The two-day meeting is, by state law, an open meeting and anyone can come and watch and listen.

 Those who wish to watch a livestream of the retreat can do so via Zoom by going to https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608340343.

To listen in by phone, you can call 646-828-7666 and enter the webinar ID 160 834 0343 if required.

The entire retreat will also be livestreamed on Guilford County’s Facebook page.